We left Louisiana in 1966 when I was 5 after dad had finished seminary at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to start a church in Mt. Clemens Michigan. We lived in the north (Michigan then Montana) until 1993 when I got married, but the south is where our roots were - on both sides of our family. Moms parents, even though not Cajun, were in the heart of Cajun country since the 1930’s. So by the time I was old enough to watch and learn what was going on in the kitchen, grandmother and granddaddy had 35 years of practice making gumbos, jambalayas, etouffees along with red beans and sausage, beignets and dirty rice. Stuffed crabs, fresh oysters bought in 3 foot burlap bags and crayfish boils big enough to feed 100 people became food events. My love affair with making the perfect roux, finding great boudin and andouille sausages, and understanding the holy trinity of onion, celery and bell pepper was all part of what I was able to learn from mom and her family.
Dad’s family was from the other end of the state in north Louisiana. Rural, country farmers where I found the other half of my culinary passion. Here it was biscuits and sausage gravy, chicken and dumplings, cornbread, ham red-eye gravy, fried chicken with mashed potatoes and milk gravy, black-eyed peas with ham hocks, turnip greens with hot water cornbread, fried catfish, yellow perch and crappie caught fresh from the lakes, fried okra and it goes on and on. Dad’s mom could cook though believe you me! WHEW... Dad picked up a few things along the way being 8 out of 10 kids, but give that woman a chicken and she could save the world. Chickens were always around for more than just eggs. On a nice day during the summer, shed kill and dress maybe 6 chickens at a time, use 1 for dinner and then put in the freezer for later. It was all just part of the life there.
I was lucky because it just wasn't my grandparents that could cook... My mom could also cook. I think mom was a much better cook before the introduction of the food processor came along - because then she got lazy. Instead of chopping onions with a knife, she’d use the food processor and practically juice the onions. So consequently all the flavors of her cooking started to change - not good. I’m not saying that food processors/choppers don’t have their place - just don’t forget that so does a knife.
Anyway - of all the foods I listed above, I'm going to give you the recipe for cornbread as it was a staple. Several times a week, mom would mix up a batch, pour the batter into a black cast iron skillet (the same skillet every time) so it was ready, hot and delicious every time with dinner.
The History....
Mom’s recipe was based on 7 “ones” so it made it easy to remember.... 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1 tbsp sugar and so on.... When we lived in Michigan, we would go to dinner at the home a church member and they would make cornbread for dad. It was always sweeter than how mom would make. It was always sweeter in the north, not so sweet in the south. Dad would always obligingly eat a slice but always complain about it on the way home. Mine is somewhere in the middle - not sweet, but sweeter than how mom made it.
I always make a fresh batch of cornbread when I’m making cornbread dressing. When I do - I always make it exactly the way mom did.
The Pan
Cast iron, cast iron, cast iron. Yes, you can use a glass pan or other baking dish but it wont come out of the pan the same. You’ll have to keep it in the glass pan, slice it and then use a fork or spatula to get them out. So, find yourselves a good 8inch cast iron pan. If you can’t find a used one at a junk shop for a dollar, you’ll have to buy a new one for $30 and break it in with time and lots of use. (A friend I worked with one time, bought a new pan, put a palm sander fitted with emery cloth, turned it on automatic and left if going buzzing around his new pan for an hour. When he came back to check on it he said the bottom was as smooth as glass and saved him years of stirring to get it that smooth.)
Before you start mixing the ingredients. Put the pan on the stove over medium heat. Add a couple tablespoons oil and leave to get smoking hot. By the time you’ve mixed the batter up, you’re pan will be perfect. Here is the thing about cast iron... You can get it super hot and with a good coating of even hotter oil. When you pour the batter into the pan, it immediately starts to seal and prevents sticking. Try this in a greased cold pan and you’ll have to scrape it out.
The Recipe
Preheat your oven to 375F.
1 cup flour
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 tbsp sugar (I use 2-3 tbsp)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 can evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)
1 egg
Mix all ingredients quickly until all blended and pour into your hot hot pan. Put into a 375F oven for about 20 minutes - until golden brown on top.
Here is a good tip to get it out of the pan instead of just turning it out onto a plate and hoping for the best that it all comes out of the pan. Get a good pot holder so you can hold onto the handle with both hands. Give the pan a good shake back and forth until you feel it come loose in the pan. Then you can turn it out perfectly onto a plate to enjoy - with butter!
I haven't found cornmeal in England but i have found a perfect substitution - Polenta. I buy organic polenta from our health food store. I think its exactly the same thing - just a different name.
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